Bishop Erik Pohlmeier celebrates Mass at the Rustic Altar on the grounds of Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine during the 460th anniversary of Founders’ Day. The altar stands near the area historians associate with the Mass of thanksgiving celebrated Sept. 8, 1565, at the founding of St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest continuously occupied settlement. Photo by Fran Ruchalski.
National Eucharistic Pilgrimage to launch 2026 journey from St. Augustine
By Kathleen Bagg
St. Augustine will serve as the launching point for the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage as organizers announced a new East Coast route that connects faith, history and national identity during the country’s 250th anniversary year.
The pilgrimage will begin Memorial Day weekend with Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, where a Mass of thanksgiving was celebrated in 1565 at the founding of St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest continuously occupied settlement. From Northeast Florida, the pilgrimage will travel north along the East Coast before concluding in Philadelphia on July 5.
“I was very excited when I was first contacted by the national office to begin the pilgrimage in St. Augustine,” said Bishop Erik Pohlmeier. “As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we want to recognize the faith that developed along with this country. The roots of Catholic faith had grown a lot in the years leading up to 1776, and this celebration is a call to embrace our legacy and carry the mission of the Gospel into the future.”
Organized by the National Eucharistic Congress, the 2026 pilgrimage carries the theme “One Nation Under God.” The route highlights key locations in the nation’s Catholic and civic history and invites Catholics to reflect on the role of faith in shaping the country’s past and future.
“This National Eucharistic Procession is a sign of a faith that is still growing and working to bear fruit,” Bishop Pohlmeier said. “We pray for our country and for the ideals that reflect the common good of every person. May God bring peace to our land and to every human heart.”
Bishop Erik Pohlmeier celebrates Mass at the Rustic Altar on the grounds of Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine during the 460th anniversary of Founders’ Day. Photo by Fran Ruchalski.
The pilgrimage will run from late May through July 5 and will include prayer, worship and public witness centered on the Eucharist. It also coincides with the 75th anniversary of the addition of the phrase “one nation under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.
As with previous pilgrimages, a small group of “perpetual pilgrims” will travel the entire route. These young adults will participate in daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, devotions and encounters with local Catholic communities, accompanied by a media missionary who will help share the journey with a wider audience.
From St. Augustine, the pilgrimage will pass through most of the original 13 colonies, with stops in 18 dioceses and archdioceses, including Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte, Richmond, Arlington, Washington, Baltimore, Wilmington, Camden, Paterson, Springfield, Manchester, Portland, Boston, Fall River, Providence and Philadelphia.
The route will include commemorations of the Georgia Martyrs; Franciscan missionaries killed for their faith in 1597 whose cause for beatification advanced in 2025. Pilgrims also will celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi in the Washington and Arlington dioceses and visit Baltimore, the nation’s first Catholic diocese.
The pilgrimage has been placed under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first U.S. citizen to be canonized a saint. A private mid-point retreat is planned at the St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in New York City. The journey also will take place in solidarity with the U.S. bishops’ call to consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The pilgrimage will conclude in Philadelphia during Independence Day weekend, with special outreach for Catholic youth and extended Eucharistic adoration on July 4. A closing Mass will be celebrated July 5 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, followed by a Eucharistic procession to the National Shrine of St. John Neumann.
Organizers said the 2026 pilgrimage builds on the momentum of the National Eucharistic Revival that began in 2022, offering Catholics across the country an opportunity to renew their faith while bearing witness to Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and in the life of the nation.
